Bass bow holder



Aprilv 14, 1964 J. BANG@ BASS BOW HOLDER Filed July l5, 1962 United States Patent O 3,128,664 t BASS BOW HOLDER Joseph Bango, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Kay Musical Instrument Co., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 13, 1962, Ser. No. 209,667 S Claims. (Cl. 84-329) This invention relates to a bow holder, and is particularly concerned with means for holding the bow of a bass or similar musical instrument in a conveniently accessible position out of the way of the musician when he doesnt use it.

Much orchestra music contains frequent extended pizzicato passages. During extended periods of pizzicato playing, the bass player has been plagued with the problem of either holding the bow in his hand, thus making his pizzicato playing more difficult, or trying to find some place to lay it down. If the bow is laid down, it must be in a safe place where it will not be damaged, and where it will not interfere with the members of the orchestra or their playing. The bow must be easily accessible to the bass player so that he can use it after the end of the pizzicato passage.

Although the bow holder of the present invention is intended primarily for holding the bow of a bass or similar string instrument that is usually played in substantially upright position with its lower end supported on the oor when the strings arebeing plucked, it may also be used to hold the bow when the instrument is not in use.

The bow holder is so designed that when it is secured to the instrument it extends at an angle to the instrument that makes it easy for the player to insert or to withdraw the bow without loss of time. The holder is covered with a suitable material to keep it from vibrating and rattling as a result of the frequencies generated in the instrument. The holder has not effect upon the tone of the instrument and does not interfere with any of its functions.

The structure by means of which the above mentioned and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a bass with the bow positioned in the holder that embodies the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded perspective view of the upper portion of the bow holder and the apertured portion of the bass with which the hook of the bow holder is engageable;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional View, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing how the bow holder is secured in place.

In the drawings a bow holder has an open mouth 11 for reception of a bow 12 and tapers slightly toward a closed end 13. The bow holder is preferably nonmetallic, but may be made of any suitable material, such as, for example, a plastic or resin impregnated iiberboard that will not rattle or vibrate due to frequencies generated in the instrument when the'bow holder is secured to a string instrument. Depending upon the material used, it may be molded in one piece or, if made of sheet mate rial, may have one edge stitched, as indicated at 14, or heat sealed. The material used may be such as to make the bow holder self sustaining as to its shape, but the mouth is preferably provided with a rigid ring 15 to maintain the proper shape. Ring 15 may be plastic, but

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preferably is metal and is covered by the nonmetallic material of which the holder is made. The upper edge 16 of the bow holder is folded over ring 15 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner.

A hook 17 having one end secured to ring 15 projects upwardly and outwardly from mouth 11. As shown, hook 17 is secured to ring l5 by a rivet 18, but it will be understood that it may be welded or secured in any desired manner. If the bow holder is made of plastic material, hook 17 may be integral therewith. Hook 17 may be covered with a sheath of rubber tubing 19 to protect the finish of the musical instrument to which the holder is secured. The free end of hook 17 is inserted through a sound hole 20 in the musical instrument 21. Hook 17 is rigid and holds the upper end of bow holder 11 in place against the front of the instrument to one side of the strings 22.

The lower end 13 of the bow holder is secured in place by a tie member 23 secured at one end to the holder and at its other end to the tail piece wire 24. The tie member may be integral with the bow holder or may be secured thereto in any suitable manner. Tie member Z3 is preferably elastic so that it will hold lower end 13 of the bow holder tightly against the front of the instrument. The tension on the tie member will not cause the bow holder to scratch or mar the nish of the outer surface of the instrument to which it is attached because all parts coming in contact with the outer surface of the instrument are nonabrasive or are covered by nonabrasive material. The elasticity of the tie member permits a bow holder to be used on different sizes Vof string instruments. The elastic tie member prevents the bow from rattling or vibrating.

The distance between the front and back of the string instrument is greater adjacent the sound openings than in the area in which the lower end of the bow holder is secured. The angular disposition of the bow holder as it is secured at opposite ends adjacent the front surface of the string instrument causes the projecting portion of a bow positioned in said holder to extend angularly outwardly from the front surface of the string instrument. The spacing between the projecting end of the bow and the front surface of the string instrument facilitates insertion and removal of the bow relative to the holder.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of the invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

Y l. A bow holder for a string instrument comprising a sheath of nonvibratory material having one end open for reception of a bow, means for securing said open end against the front surface of a string instrument adjacent one of the sound holes of said string instrument, and means for securing the other end of said sheath against the front surface of said string instrument adjacent the lower end thereof.

2. A bow holder for a string instrument comprising a sheath of nonvibratory material having one end for reception of a bow, a rigid ring member secured to said one end to hold it open, means for securing said open end against the front surface of a string instrument adjacent one of the sound holes of said string instrument, and means for securing the other end of said sheath against the front surface of said string instrument adjacent the lower end thereof.

3. A bow holder for a string instrument comprising a sheath of nonvibratory material having one end open for reception of a bow, a rigid ring member secured within said one end portion to hold said one end open, a hook extending from said ring member outwardly from said open end to engage one of the sound holes of a string instrument for securing said open end against'the front surface of said string instrument adjacent said one sound hole, and means for securing the other end of said sheath against the front surface of said string instrument adjacent the lower end thereof.

4. A bow holder for a string instrument comprising `a sheath, a rigid open ring member secured to the upper edge portion of said sheath in such manner as to keep said upper edge portion open, a hook Iprojecting outwardly from said upper edge portion, said hook being adapted to t'into one of the sound holes in a string instrument, and a tie member secured to the lower end portion of said sheath, said tie member being engageable with the string instrument to hold `the lower 'end of the sheath against the front surface of the string instrument adjacent the lower end thereof.

5. A bow holder for a string instrument comprisingfa sheath, a rigid open ring member secured tothe upper edge portion of said sheath in such manner as'to keep said upper edge portion open, a rigid hook projecting upwardly and outwardly from said upper edge portion, said hook being adapted to iit into one of the sound holes in' a string instrument to hold the upper end of said sheath iirmly against the front surface of said vstring instrument, and a tie member secured to the lower end portion of said sheath, said tie member being engageable with the string instrument to hold the lower end of the sheath against the front surface of the string instrument adjacent the lower end thereof.

6. A bow holder for a string instrument comprising a sheath having a permanently open upper end,V a hookl projecting from said vupper edge, said hook'having aV covering of nonvibratory material, said covered hook being engageable with one of the sound holes of the string instrument to secure the upper end of said sheath against the front surface of a string instrument adjacent one of the sound holes, and means for securing the lower end of said sheath against the front surface of the string instrument adjacent the lower end of said string instrument.

7. A bow holder for a string instrument comprising a sheath having a permanently open upper end, means for securing the upper end of said sheath against the front surface of a string instrument adjacent one of the Vsound holes, and means for securing the lower end of said sheath against the front surface of the string instrument adjacent the lower end of said string instrument,'the distance between the upper end of said sheath and the back of the instrument being greater: than the distance between the lower end of said sheath and the back of the instrument when said sheath is secured in place, whereby the projecting portion of Va'bow positioned in said holder willV extend angularly outwardly from the front surface of the instrument.

8. A bow holder for a string instrument comprising a sheath having a permanently open upper end, a rigid hook projecting from said upper edge, said hook being engageable with one ofthe sound holes of the string instrument to secure the upper end of said sheath against the lfr'ont surface of a vstring'instrument adjacent one of the sound, a protective covering on said rigid hook to prevent damage to `the outer surface of the string instrument, and means for securing said sheath against the front surface of'thestring'instrument angularly disposed relative to the'fron't surface of said string instrument, whereby the projecting portion of a bow positioned Vin s'aid holder will extend angularly outwardly from the front surface of the string instrument.

No references cited. 

1. A BOW HOLDER FOR A STRING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A SHEATH OF NONVIBRATORY MATERIAL HAVING ONE END OPEN FOR RECEPTION OF A BOW, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID OPEN END AGAINST THE FRONT SURFACE OF A STRING INSTRUMENT ADJACENT ONE OF THE SOUND HOLES OF SAID STRING INSTRUMENT, AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE OTHER END OF SAID SHEATH AGAINST THE FRONT SURFACE OF SAID STRING INSTRUMENT ADJACENT THE LOWER END THEREOF. 